Industry minister outlines broad federal strategy for Canada in digital age

WATERLOO, Ont. – The federal government has outlined its strategy for ensuring that most Canadians have access to secure Internet and affordable wireless services.

Industry Minister James Moore outlined the Digital Canada 150 strategy in Waterloo, Ontario — one of the country’s leading hubs for technology innovation.

Moore says the strategy includes 39 initiatives, based on submissions from Canadians.

Among other things, the federal government says it’s aiming to have more than 98 per cent of Canadians with access to Internet service fast enough for high-resolution video.

To achieve that, Moore says the Canadian government will provide about $350 million to extend and enhance high-speed internet services for about 280,000 households in rural and remote areas of the country.

The strategy also calls for the Business Development Bank of Canada to invest a total of about $500 million on behalf of the government, with $300 million in for digital tech companies and $200 million for businesses adopting the technology.